Devil on the Run
by Iris C
Summary: After high school, Hayama and Sana went their separate ways. While Sana continued her career in acting; Hayama took a very different path: drug dealing...RATED R! Chapter 5 and Epilogue up! It's over! xD
1. Devil in guilt

Devil on the Run (part 1)   
A Kodomo No Omacha fanfic   
© By Iris C.   
E-mail : angelscythe02@yahoo.com   
Completed : May 15th, 2001 (edited - May 30th)  
  
Plug: Visit KnO: insanity at www.geocities.com/knosite  
  
Background : After high school, Hayama and Sana went their separate   
ways. While Sana continued her career in acting; Hayama took a very   
different path: underground drug dealing. It was a dangerous life, but   
it paid well. Especially for Hayama, who's good at anything if he has   
to. Four years later however, Hayama felt his conscience eating him   
up, therefore, quitted the business. But sometimes you can't expect   
life to leave you alone just because you've 'quitted'. Sometimes it   
follows you and will make you pay...in the worst ways you can imagine.   
  
Rated pg13 - R for violence, profanity and mature issues.   
  
Warning : this is very un-kodocha. I attempted in making a funny   
kodocha fic where the elevator glass broke but that came out beyond   
pathetic so I resorted to drama. It's not that OCC, considering that   
they are now... 'adults'. ^^   
  
'Tis a S+H! !^.^!  
  
JP phrases that may appear here and there in this:   
  
Ohayo - hello   
Ja ne - see ya   
Daijoubu - are you okay? Or okay.   
Hai - yes   
Iie (it's pronounced ee-ee-yea) - no   
Gomen - sorry   
Ai shiteru - I love you   
Arigatou - thank you   
Baka - idiot   
Onii-san – (older) brother   
Kawaii - cute   
Nani - what   
  
  
Devil on the run   
  
I took a long whiff from the cigarette then exhaled slowly, letting all   
its venom, nicotine and rat poison settle in the pit of my body.   
  
"Here you go," Ichibin threw me a bottle of Saki (*a popular alcoholic   
drink in Japan*).   
  
"Domo," after catching it, I examined its contents.   
  
Oh good, more poison.   
  
"Nothing on tonight," Ichibin whined as he flipped through the TV   
channels.   
  
I ignored him, allowing my eyes sinking into the television set,   
deciphering its millions of particles.   
  
Wait a second...   
  
I shot up. "Go back."   
  
"Huh?" Ichibin turned.   
  
"Go back three channels."   
  
He did.   
  
"If I could relive my life, I would," a voice declared from the   
television.   
  
"Heyyy, I never knew you liked this sort of soap opera stuff Hayama,"   
Ichibin chuckled.   
  
"Iie, you would just make the same mistakes again," whispered another   
voice from the TV.   
  
I blinked. Taking a sip from the bottle then fixed my gaze at the   
screen. She had changed her hair, the familiar pigtails were replaced   
by a simple, neat bun.   
  
"You are right, I'd still fall in love with you."   
  
The channel flipped.   
  
"I can't stand that pretty boy Naozumi or something. He's too pretty,   
he should have been born a girl," Ichibin laughed.   
  
It's been four years.   
  
Four whole years since I saw her face.   
  
===========   
  
  
As usual, the clock struck 6:00 as I climbed out of bed and headed   
toward the bathroom. As usual, I nearly tripped over Ichibin, who was   
sleeping soundly on the ivory carpet.   
  
The boy'll never learn.   
  
I threw a blanket over him then locked myself in the bathroom. Good   
morning, my reflection scowled at me: unruly hair, dull eyes and a   
prosaic expression. Just lovely. I stripped then stumbled into the   
shower, turning the nuzzle on high and held my head against it.   
  
My name is Hayama Akito. Age 22. Occupation: jobless. Owns: three-  
bedroom apartment complex in one of the richest neighborhoods in the   
city.   
  
Life can be pretty ironic.   
  
I reached for the shampoo, but not before the phone rang. Much   
profanity escaped from my mouth as I grabbed a towel and headed toward   
the living room.   
  
"Moshi Moshi?" my voice sounded solemn and dull.   
  
"Ohayo, Hayama-san," the sly voice, I can recognize it anywhere.   
  
"Kaiko," I muttered, "what now?"   
  
"Oh nothin' much, just wanted to chat, Hayama-san."   
  
"Spit it."   
  
"All right, all right. I was wondering if you got any more shipments   
comin',"   
  
"No, I don't."   
  
"Oh, Hayama-san, you didn't really think I believed ya when you said   
you were gonna be clean now did ya?"   
  
"I am clean."   
  
"Oh come on, listen. I can get you a sweet deal. I have some   
connections in Osaka and you are the slickest I know so..."   
  
"Are you listening to me, Kiako? I don't do shit anymore," I spat.   
  
He laughed. "Oh yeah? Then what do you do Hayama? The only thing you   
are good at is doing shit."   
  
"Don't mess with me."   
  
"What is it Hayama? Do you have too much money now? Or is it too many   
bitches?" he sneered; I could see his smirking face.   
  
"You want me to report you? Cuz if you don't, you would leave me alone   
and go on fucking yourself to death," I warned.   
  
"Oh, I'm scared now. Hell, Hayama, you are the one sittin' on millions   
of illegal money," he chortled, "the police would rather have your ass   
than mine and you know it."   
  
I hung up the phone.   
  
I hate bastards that waste my time.   
  
"Daijoubu?" Ichibin stared at me, concerned.   
  
"Daijoubu. Sorry if I woke you up," I said.   
  
"It's cool, I should get up anyway."   
  
"I'm gonna go to the market."   
  
"Akito?"   
  
"Ne, Ichibin?" I looked up and saw the 18-year old hesitant.   
  
"Was it Kaiko?"   
  
"Hai."   
  
"We're in this together, Akito nii-san" Ichibin grabbed me by the   
shoulder.   
  
"Daijoubu Ichibin, he can't do anything."   
  
He nodded. "I know, but when you did so many shit, anything could   
happen," Ichibin smiled wryly, "I know I was against your decision,   
but I think quitting was the smartest thing we've ever done."   
  
"Hmmm..."   
  
"I'll always back you up nii-san, blood brothers."   
  
"..."   
  
==========   
  
It's kind of funny wandering around the streets aimlessly while the   
whole world carried suit cases, hurrying toward their subway   
destinations. If one can concentrate hard enough though, they'd   
realize that no one gives a damn about them at this hour. Thus, it was   
one of those lazy mornings where I am forced to think about my life   
again. It wasn't terribly bad. Really. It wasn't bad at all. I had a   
decent apartment and a decent bank account. I can afford to eat sushi   
every day. I even had a blood brother who keeps me from screaming... My   
stomach sank as the thought of Ichibin. On top of all the guilt I've   
encumbered, I will never ever forgive myself for meeting Ichibin,   
meeting him and ruining his life. I moaned at reality once more. It   
wasn't fair. Why do I always end up ruining people's lives? Why why   
why? Ichibin had such a bright future, but no, he had to meet me, had   
to look up to me as a brother. And I, I had to like him, like his smart   
mouth and attitude, like his sincerity yet forever innocence. What's   
more was I agreed to this stupid blood brother thing.   
  
"Now we'll be a force of two," I remember him saying, excited as we   
pressed our red fingers together.   
  
What fools.   
  
I strolled into the grocery store, as if time had no significance in my   
life. What do I need again?   
  
Tofu, Ichibin's favorite, and sushi of course, some more saki, somemore   
cigarettes.   
  
Fifteen minutes later I came out with six boxes of tofu, a 'how to make   
sushi' recipe book, two bags of green tea, and cigarettes. Hey, you   
can't quit everything.   
  
The streets were a lot quieter now. No more businessmen; no more school   
children; just some busses and slow moving cars. I walked along the   
sidewalk, trailing the familiar route to home. My neighborhood was   
quiet, that's why I brought the apartment. It's hard to find peace in   
congested cities.   
  
It's also very stupid for a red convertible to be sedentary in the   
middle of the street. People these days. I walked around the back of   
the car and headed toward my apartment, just as I was going into the   
building, I heard a call.   
  
"OI!!!! Can you help me? Please!!!" the voice was urgent, I sighed,   
scowling as I turned around.   
  
A girl stood beside the red convertible was waving, obviously in car   
trouble. Well, at least this raises the human intelligence status back   
a bit.   
  
I dragged my grocery bags and walked toward her.   
  
Then she stopped waving.   
  
Then I dropped my bags.   
  
No way.   
  
Yes way.   
  
No way.   
  
Yes...   
  
It was her. She was taller, and the dress she wore framed her mature   
body perfectly. Although, she still had the same eyes...the same.   
  
"Hayama..." she voiced my name, filled with awe and confusion like so   
many times before. "Hayama..." she leaned against her car, looking   
ghastly, as if short of oxygen.   
  
I walked toward her. "Daijoubu? Kurata?"   
  
She stared at me with glistening eyes, examining me, as if trying to   
touch my soul. I fumbled; frightened that she must succeed in doing so   
like so many times before.   
  
"Daijoubu?" I asked again with an indifferent tone.   
  
Her face went from awe-struck, to confusion, to anguish.   
  
Then she slapped me, the soft hands that never injured anyone. "You..."   
her eyes were flooded by now, "I hate you!" her hands thwarting my   
chest, hitting them with all her might, "I hate you! I hate you! I hate   
you! I hate you!" she cried.   
  
I grabbed her hands in mine, ceasing her second of insanity.   
  
She pulled her hands away like an injured soul. "You are so cruel..."   
she sank to her knees. "I've written you so many letters, I've called   
you so many times, and all of them are to a fake address. You never   
called me, never contacted me! You promised Hayama! You promised you   
would! But the second I was gone you fled from me! Do you know how   
worried I had been over the years? Do you know how many records I went   
through trying to find you? I thought something terrible has happened   
to you! You are cruel! You are cruel! You are cruel!" she inculcated.   
  
"Sana," I whispered. "Gomen ne."   
  
"Iie..." she shook her head and stared at me with those beautiful eyes,   
"you are lying. You are always lying! Always," hurt, she was hurt.   
  
And the fact that she's hurt was cutting through me, tearing, shredding   
me.   
  
"I..." I couldn't think of anything to say. Yeah, sure, tell her the   
truth. Sana, the reason why I couldn't contact you was because I've   
been doing illegal business that can result in death by one small   
mistake. Or maybe, Sana, the reason why I didn't contact you was   
because you have everything and I have nothing; you are loved and I am   
a mistake.   
  
"You what, Hayama? Did you forget me? Did you ever really love me? Or   
was it all a lie too?"   
  
Love. Bittersweet word. Not in this world. Where lies claim all. Stop   
it. I told myself.   
  
"Get up, Sana." I whispered.   
  
"Why? Are you going to leave me?"   
  
I winced. What have I done? What have I done to the girl? Why AM I so   
cruel? So abominable? Why do I do the things I do? I stared at Sana.   
She looked lost and confused, so not in control like she was usually.   
God, why am I always the source of pain? It hurts. It hurts worse than   
hell...it hurts...it hurts...   
  
I sank to my knees. Overwhelmed with four years of emotions, overcome   
by endless guilt and locked passion. My hand went up by my chest, I   
could feel it bleed, feel it drown, feel it suffocate...   
  
It hurts...   
  
"I'm sorry," I whispered again, my hand thrust on the dry cement now,   
the only support before everything crumbles.   
  
I heard her soft sobbing.   
  
Then everything crumbled. Tears started gushing in my eyes, through my   
eyes, and I could see them landing on the dry cement. One, by one, by   
one...   
  
"I'm sorry," my voice weak against her presence. "I'm so sorry," I   
repeated.   
  
It hurts...   
  
Then I felt something. Her arms, against me, touching me, cradling my   
head against her body, comforting it like she had so many times before.   
  
"I'm sorry," I choked.   
  
We sat there for a while. Not a word was said, but everything was   
mended.   
  
(Commentos from iris: O_O Oh hell, I didn't write that. _ How much   
more pathetic can I get?? Lol)   
  
========================   
  
She scribbled her number and address on my hand hastily. "Number,   
address, call me," she pleaded. "And thank you for the ride," she   
smiled at me, the first in four years.   
  
It was a lovely smile too. A Sana smile, so pure and bright. Was it   
though? Was it pure and bright like it had been? It's been four years   
after all. Four years can do a lot to a person. I've learned that from   
experience. But Sana was different from the rest. She's a fighter with   
interminable will and strength. It would be lovely to be her, perhaps   
then I wouldn't have gotten into all this shitty mess. Then I wouldn't   
have to toss and turn in bed, wondering how many people I had succeeded   
in killing in one day. Then I wouldn't be wishing I were dead, as if my   
nonexistence could erase all I had done.   
  
"You are welcome. Do you need your car fixed? I can take a look at it,"   
I finally made out, shutting out the guilty conscience.   
  
"It's okay, I called the insurance company already."   
  
"Oh."   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Okay," I put the helmet on then climbed onto the motorcycle.   
  
"Wait," she grabbed my arm, "call me, Hayama, I mean it." Her usually   
naive expression was painted with such piety I could actually feel my   
heart nodding. It was a rather frightening experience.   
  
I nodded then started the engine, with her eyes in me, burning and   
melting my hardened soul.   
  
=======================   
  
I dragged out the old suitcase filled with memoirs: dad's dinosaur toy,   
Natsumi's paper cranes, Tsuyoshi's thank you notes, Fuka's postcards.   
Has it really been four years? I wonder how everyone was doing. As if   
you cared. I laughed at myself. You don't care at all. If you did, you   
would have visited your family instead of sending anonymous money into   
their bank accounts; you would have actually written to Tsuyoshi and   
congratulate him on getting into Tokyo University; you would have   
actually used one of Fuka's already stamped, already addressed   
postcards and say a brief hello. But you didn't, what a heartless   
person.   
  
Something fell from the mess, I picked it up.   
  
A keychain.   
  
Sana and I. A pink cotton candy and a bright smile on her face. A blue   
popsicle and a grimace on mine. How fitting. I chuckled then turn it to   
the flip side. "Ai shiteru," I read the inscription out loud.   
  
My chest was hurting. I could feel her small hands pounding on it   
again. I could hear her yell "I hate you!" just as she had said "I love   
you" four years ago. The number in my hand was calling out to me. I   
picked up the phone then dialed her number.   
  
Ring. Ring.   
  
No. I can't! I slammed the phone down. I can't call her. She'll be in   
danger just being around me. No.   
  
"Ahhh..." I moaned. "No."   
  
========================   
  
Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang and I came face to face with those   
amber eyes.   
  
"Caller ID," she said simply.   
  
"Oh," I replied. Baka baka baka. I scolded myself. Of course the most   
popular actress in Japan will have a state of the art communication   
machine.   
  
"Can I come in?" she asked hopefully.   
  
I swung the door open and watched as she placed herself on the couch,   
displaying such grace in motion I had to double check to see if it   
really was Sana.   
  
"You live alone?" she glanced around the apartment.   
  
I shook my head. "Ichibin lives with me."   
  
"Ichibin?"   
  
"Hai. My brother."   
  
"Brother?" she looked flustered. "Ne Hayama! Just HOW many secrets DO   
you have?"   
  
Her face scrunched and frowning, looking a little frustrated as she   
still couldn't crack the dark corners of my life. I felt a smile   
kindled somewhere, seeing her face   
like that. Sana has the world's most interesting fascinating   
expressions to look at. Of course, she also had really pretty eyes, and   
a perfect complexion, and beautiful lips...   
  
"Hayama?"   
  
"Oh, no, he's not my real brother. He's my blood brother," I rushed.   
  
"Blood brother?" she smiled, "ne? Really? Wow...sugoi! Where is he?"   
excited, she immediately shot up.   
  
"He's not in right now," I scratched my head, where is Ichibin at this   
hour anyway?   
  
"Oh," she sat down. "Well, I'm happy for you then."   
  
Such a pure smile...shouldn't be jaded. I reminded myself, don't tell   
her what you have been doing Akito.   
  
"Arigatou, would you like any tea?" I opened the fridge, "or any   
drinks?"   
  
"Ahh...no thank you."   
  
"Oh, okay," I grabbed a bag of dried seaweed, "want some?" I handed a   
package to her.   
  
"Okay!" she grabbed them, then devoured them like a little kid. "Mmm,   
thank you Hayama. Oh, you know what's funny?" she mumbled as she   
chewed, "I just mailed some of this stuff to my American friends in New   
York! I attached mama's world's smallest camera onto the packages so I   
can capture their faces! Hahaha! I can just see their faces!"   
  
"I'll bet," I murmured, chewing mechanically on the algae.   
  
She suddenly stopped. "Ne, Hayama, do you think that was mean? Why am I   
still like this at the age of 22?" her voice grew quiet.   
  
I looked up.   
  
"Is this why you stopped talking to me too? Am I too immature?"   
  
Sometimes talking to Sana is like being on a roller coaster, one minute   
you're going on twirly twirls, the next you're going downhill   
backwards. Although, that would probably beat talking to me, unless you   
like vvveeerrrryyyyy ssssllllloooowwww carousels.   
  
"Baka," I said.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Baka, I didn't stop talking to you because you're immature, and   
actually, I think it would be funny to see..."   
  
"HEY! DON'T CALL ME BAKA! BAKA!" she pulled something out of the air.   
  
After so many many years, she still kept that hammer toy. I now vow to   
somehow smash the damn toy apart before it smashes me apart.   
  
"Quit it, baka!" I moaned.   
  
"Don't call me baka!!"   
  
This was a serious conversation, it really was.   
  
"Baka," I murmured.   
  
Instead of tearing my head off, I saw the widest Sana smile yet in my   
precocious   
years.   
  
She chuckled. "Ne, I guess you and I will never get along huh?"   
  
Huh?   
  
"No matter how many years and how many faces, you're still the opposite   
of me," she cupped her face.   
  
Huh...   
  
"Guess so."   
  
"Hayama?"   
  
"Nani?"   
  
"I've missed you."   
  
"..."   
  
"I..."   
  
Before she could say anything, I grabbed her hand and kissed her on her   
lips. Lips I haven't touched in four years. I wonder how I could have   
given up on this feeling. I wonder how I could have given into this   
feeling once again, knowing I might have to hurt her, once again.   
  
But I don't think I cared at the moment.   
  
  
To be continued...   
  
Woww…this is so corny I can barely re-read it…wow… ^^x  
  
  



	2. Devil's heart

Devil on the Run (part 2)   
A Kodomo No Omocha fanfic   
© By Iris C.   
Email : angelscythe02@yahoo.com  
Completed : June 1 , 2001 (edited June 2.)   
  
Notes: took me two weeks and some days to complete, not too bad right?   
^.^ Thanks to all of those that reviewed, you guys rock!   
  
Devil on the Run   
  
I've never been more grateful of the gray-blue couch in my life.   
  
Her soft skin touching my own; my arms cradling her body; my heart   
beating as I sank my fingers down her bare back...   
  
It was sort of strange kissing Sana without suffering an immediate blow   
from the hammer toy. Admittedly, her reactions were always insanely   
adorable. She would either blow up or grow really quiet, a pair of   
luminous eyes that left me to yearn for more. But Sana takes kisses   
seriously. I knew that, even if I may not act like it. The ironic fact   
was, I believe that's the very reason why I loved stealing them from   
her.   
  
After a moment, I heard the infrequent soft voice calling for me.   
"Hayama?" It still startled me when she would use inquiry tones instead   
of silly ones. They made me realize just how precious she was; Maybe   
that's why I loved being around her, to protect her and to protect   
myself. Precious. She was simply precious.   
  
"Hn?"   
  
"Don't leave me ever again."   
  
"..."   
  
"Arigatou."   
  
Suddenly, knocks were heard from the door.   
  
"Do you have guests?" she asked.   
  
I shrugged.   
  
The knocks expedited to frantic pounding.   
  
"All right, all right! I'm coming," groaning, I got up and unlocked the   
door. A limp body fell against me.   
  
"ICHIBIN!?!?" I cried in disbelief.   
  
The familiar brown hair was certainly a good indication.   
  
I lifted him by the shoulders, carrying him into the living room.   
"Ichibin? What happened? Ichibin??"   
  
Sana gasped, "Hayama," her eyes horrific as she pointed to my shirt.   
  
I looked down and saw bloodstains...   
  
"Oh my God," I laid Ichibin on the carpet. "ICHIBIN!!" I cried. "What   
the hell happened?"   
  
"Where's your medicine cabinet?" Sana asked hastily.   
  
"Bathroom," I answered then returned my attention to Ichibin, who begin   
coughing. "Ichibin!?"   
  
"I'm...okay," he murmured weakly.   
  
"What happened?!?"   
  
"I was walking home, and I got attacked," *cough* *cough* "by..."   
*cough*   
  
"Who did it?" I insisted.   
  
"I don't know, but I think it was Kimura, ...and maybe Hidaki and the   
guys..." *cough* "Oh fuck, they crushed my chest, I can't breathe."   
*cough*   
  
"Kimura? Hidaki..."   
  
"I'm not too sure, but it sure as hell looked like them, those   
ignorant, ungrateful bastards..." Ichibin went on with a list of   
profanities as I stood in a daze. It couldn't be... Could it be? Kimura   
and Hidaki, among many others, used to belong to 'Black Haze'.   
Prominent for its drug associations, rashness, and fierce fighters,   
'Black Haze' established a reputation as the slickest underground drug   
dealers in East Asia. The underground gang was a client's dream, with   
no record of being caught by the cops or even a slight mishap. However,   
as of now 'Black Haze' been disbanded for approximately two months.   
  
By me.   
  
Yes, yes, the devil has even started a gang.   
  
"I didn't want to come back here, Hayama, they might have followed me,   
but I think they busted up my arm or something," Ichibin moaned as he   
held his elbow.   
  
I stared as his bleeding arm. "Did they say anything?"   
  
"Oh you know Kimura, he rambled about how you shouldn't have ruined it   
all for everyone."   
  
"What about Hidaki?" I persisted. Out of all the ex-members of 'Black   
Haze', I was most concerned with Hidaki. Silent, stoic and dedicated,   
he carried out tasks flawlessly. Hidaki was the only member that never   
called me 'boss' or anyone's name for that matter. His chilling blue   
eyes said enough, he was one of those people that allowed no one a peek   
in his turf.   
  
"Hidaki? He had me in a lock so Kimura could do his preaching," Ichibin   
coughed again, "damn, it's been two months already, you'd think they   
could have found some other gang."   
  
"How did you manage to..." I stopped my sentence as Sana came running,   
carrying bottles and bandages in her hands.   
  
"Hayama dai-chan, where does it hurt?" she asked, a look of concern on   
her face.   
  
Ichibin stared at Sana, then blinked. "Hey, and I was sure I was going   
to end up in hell..."   
  
"Ichibin," I glared. "Let her see your arm, are you hurt anywhere   
else?"   
  
"Iie, I'm fine, just some skin bruises and scrapes. I didn't take a   
month of Karate for nothing you know. But before I pass out, can you   
tell me if it's really Kurata Sana kneeling beside me, or am I   
hallucinating? And if in fact it's not Kurata Sana kneeling beside me,   
please get me immediate medical attention," Ichibin said.   
  
I rolled my eyes; even in situations like this he's not able to hold   
off on the sarcasm. I can just see it: Ichibin on his deathbed,   
mumbling. "Oh I see the white light! Oh! No wait...that's the flashing   
light bulb isn't it?"   
  
"We should get him to the hospital," suggested Sana.   
  
"No!!!" both Ichibin and I shouted.   
  
Sana stared strangely. "Oh...okay..."   
  
"It's just a scratch, I'll be all right," Ichibin said.   
  
I swallowed. "I'll get some ice for your knee."   
  
"Thanks."   
  
I got up and headed to the kitchen, my ears glued to the conversation   
between Ichibin and Sana.   
  
"How did you get hurt?"   
  
"Oh it was stupid of me, going downtown this late. Some punks tried to   
rob me. I should have just given them my wallet, but 500 yen means a   
lot to me ya know," Ichibin laughed. (Note: 500 yen is about five   
bucks. ^^)   
  
I shook my head, then sighed, grateful for his incessant humor while   
guilty that he had to lie. Sometimes I wonder if it's true that lies   
will build up and eventually cripple you (like they always say...) but   
aren't adages and proverbs nothing but an idealist's dream?   
  
"Here," I pressed the ice against Ichibin's elbow and saw him wince in   
pain. His physical condition was obviously a lot worse than his voice   
implications.   
  
"Sana," I turned to face her. "It is a bit late..."   
  
"Hai. I'll go home now," she looked somewhat worried and unconvinced.   
  
"Do you need a ride?"   
  
"It's all right. I drove," she said. "You sure he'll be okay?"   
  
"He'll be okay," said Ichibin. "Not to worry Ms. Kurata."   
  
"All right," Sana got up. "If you need me, Hayama…" she gave me a   
lingering stare.   
  
"I know."   
  
"Ja," she said.   
  
"Ja," I said   
  
"Bye!" Ichibin called out.   
  
A brief silence as Sana left.   
  
"Funny. You'd think your blood brother would at least tell you his   
girlfriend was a big time celebrity."   
  
"Ichibin," I turned to him seriously. "Are you sure you are all right?"   
  
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Don't try to change the subject with a straight   
face. When were you planning to tell me this?"   
  
"What?"   
  
He sighed. "That you kept a medicine cabinet in this house?"   
  
Silence.   
  
"Oh come on, you know what I mean."   
  
"Kurata?"   
  
He nodded at me as if I were an idiot.   
  
I shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I never thought I would see her   
again."   
  
  
  
I spent the rest of the evening in bed, tossing and turning. I am   
usually a good sleeper, blocking everything out when I'm in trousers.   
It's kind of a habit I've engraved into my mind. Today however, my   
conscience pounded furiously beside my skull I couldn't even stay   
still, let alone sleep.   
  
I bandaged Ichibin's arm for him. He hadn't whined a bit of the pain.   
By the size of   
his wound, however, I knew it must have hurt terribly. It made me angry   
at myself, for not being able to bring him to a hospital. But I suppose   
that's the price you have to pay for being an ex-gang member and all.   
  
I remember the day when Ichibin and I first met. I was a college   
freshman, very much not entertained by the day in and day out classes.   
So I decided to skip my economics class on a breezy day, to bum a few   
cigarettes and scold myself for ever taking up cigarettes. After   
wandering aimlessly through congested streets and neighborhoods,   
I was content when I found a quiet clearing. I wasn't so content when   
my strenuous labor was shattered by little punks picking fights at each   
other.   
  
"Useless!"   
  
I looked up.   
  
"I told you to get a dozen didn't I?" a kick was made. A grunt was   
heard. "DIDN'T I?? Answer me!!!" another kick, another grunt.   
  
Kids these days watch too much violence on TV.   
  
"Ha...hai, Kosei-san, gomen, next time I'll..."   
  
Another kick.   
  
A whimper.   
  
"Next time? What next time, you fucking weakling!!"   
  
Way too much TV.   
  
"Oi," I stood up and rooted out my cigarette against the cement. "Don't   
you have school to go to, little kid?" I asked.   
  
"That's none of your business."   
  
Punk.   
  
I smirked. "Trust me, when I have to throw out a cigarette cuz you're   
bothering the balance of nature, it is my business." I walked toward   
the kid moaning on the ground, he looked no bigger than 13. "Hey, you   
all right?" I lent him a hand. He grabbed a hold of it, still crying.   
  
"Hey! He's fine, why don't you just get your..."   
  
"Hey," I turned around. "You're giving me a headache, why don't you   
pick up your loser behind and play with your power rangers?"   
  
"Who do you think you..."   
  
"I SAID, GET LOST," I pointed my thumb away. He scowled, trying so hard   
to retain his pride and stumbled away.   
  
"Hard headed think they rule the whole friggin' world kids these days,"   
I muttered then faced the beat up kid, his eyes afraid and his lips   
quivering "You, do you need to go to the hospital?"   
  
"No...I don't."   
  
"Well, know your parents' number?"   
  
"I have no parents."   
  
"Aunt? Uncle? Sister? Brother?"   
  
He shook his head.   
  
"Where do you live?"   
  
"Orphanage."   
  
"Oh..." silence. "Want me to walk you there? Will they give you some   
medicine and stuff?"   
  
He shook his head again, frightened.   
  
"What do you mean, no?"   
  
"I...I can't...he's...they're...there..." he stuttered.   
  
"Huh. Okay. What's your name kid?"   
  
"Ichibin..."   
  
"Ichibin, well, you wanna come over to my place and we'll see if I can   
do anything?"   
  
He nodded.   
  
Everything after that was history. Ichibin used my apartment as a   
hiding place/shelter. I never once asked him why those jerks picked on   
him. I don't know why I didn't. With his bony body and docile attitude,   
however, I supposed Ichibin was a bully's perpetual dream.   
Occasionally, he would come knocking on my door in the middle of the   
night, preceding a beat down or barely surviving a beat down. I never   
minded it, as Ichibin was plainly good company. He was always grinning,   
even with a black eye or crooked teeth. Plus, he helped around with the   
apartment, dusting, washing, cleaning, you name it. It was as if   
Ichibin felt he owned me his life. It made me sad for a while, how life   
never does justice for any good people. Here's a kid, barely fourteen,   
intelligent, brilliant, helpful, and one of the most cheerful people   
I've ever met under such horrid conditions.   
  
Life just wasn't fair.   
  
So one day I told him he'd stay for the night. The next day I told him   
he'll stay until I run out of bread. And it became just the two of us.   
Two guys in a little apartment, trapped but satisfied in cryptic little   
ways. Things worked out fine for a while, Ichibin and I spent many   
nights sleeping on the cold hard floor, staring and talking about our   
past and future. Many nights passed like that, us and our barely filled   
stomachs; us and our strange sense of trust.   
  
Then one day, I got a call from Natsumi. She was crying as she told me.   
"Akito, Dad...he...he has cancer...oh God he has cancer..."   
  
I held the phone and stayed silent for a while. I couldn't believe it.   
Somewhere between afraid and stunned, I poured all my money for Dad's   
treatment and started working extra hours at the construction site. I   
stayed with college for a while, without books, and still managed with   
decent scores. But that wasn't what bothered me. Because the little   
money I had left was spent on the rent for a roof on top of my head,   
Ichibin provided with the food. He started getting them from the   
homeless shelter for the both of us. Every time he came back he would   
have a gash here and a cut there. The soup would sink into my empty   
stomach like a match, burning all the pride I've ever owned.   
  
I couldn't stand it.   
  
Not because I was poor, but that I couldn't take care of Ichibin. I   
couldn't stand letting him go back to where he was and is unable to   
stop it. Useless. That's how I felt.   
  
So that's when Kaiko used me, me and my vulnerability. After 2   
cigarettes and 50000 yen, I skipped my classes and picked up money like   
a scum. I had lost everything by then, including the basic moral of a   
human being. I was degraded to survival needs, willing to do anything   
for money, for food...for Ichibin never getting another cut from any   
bastards...   
  
  
  
The doorbell rang.   
  
I squeezed my eyes and prayed that it was part of my dream.   
  
The doorbell rang again.   
  
I groaned and got up, trailing the usual route through the hallway,   
toward the living room, over Ichibin and found the door.   
  
"Haya...ma..." she stuttered, her cheeks glow a shade of pink midst the   
dim morning ambiance. I looked down and saw myself dressed in boxers.   
  
"Kurata," I growled. "A little early."   
  
She giggled. "You lazy butt chunk, it's 7:15!"   
  
I nodded. "Yeah okay, sure. You want to come in?" Sana was wearing a   
white top and blue skirt. Unconsciously, my eyes drifted toward her   
neck, trailing down until...   
  
My...she's grown...   
  
"No, I have to get to the studio before 7:30. I just came to give you   
this," she handed me a ticket.   
  
"What is it?"   
  
"Ticket to the carnival? Will you come? It's tonight, at eight. It'll   
be fun."   
  
I thought about it for a while. "Okay," not like I had anything else to   
do.   
  
"Really? Great! I'll see you at eight! Oh, also! Here!" she dug out   
something from her purse. "I brought this for Ichibin, it cleans the   
cut better and make it heal better... Your cabinet was pretty meager."   
  
"Ahh...thanks."   
  
"Is he doing all right?"   
  
"Yeah, he's fine."   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Okay then, I'm gonna go now," she flashed me a smile.   
  
"Okay."   
  
"Okay. Bye.."   
  
"Bye."   
  
"See ya."   
  
"Yeah," I grabbed a hold of her wrist then gave her a kiss on the   
cheek.   
  
She didn't pull out her hammer toy. I was making progress.   
  
  
  
It's funny when I really think about it. Funny how Sana and I ended up   
together despite we were as different as day and night. But then,   
hasn't the greatest romances all been miscalculated paradox? Venus and   
Mars, Romeo and Juliet, I wonder if they ever realized what they were   
heading for. I wonder if we realize what we're heading for...   
  
"Hayama!" her voice resembled a much louder version of a humming bird,   
marking a trail of dulcet stings beside my ear. "I'm so glad you came!"   
  
I turned around and nearly jumped. "What did you do?" Sana's familiar   
brown hair was replaced with long (really long) tresses of black hair   
down her back. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a cut off white shirt   
revealing a naval ring, matching the one on her nose. Her look was   
completed with a red bandana and a tattoo of a rose on her arm.   
  
I nearly fainted.   
  
She grinned mischievously, evidently enjoying the little emotion I   
shed. "Do you like it? It's my alternate ego! My name is Anas!" she   
explained.   
  
"What?" dumbfounded, I questioned. Only Kurata would think of something   
like this...   
  
"Well, you know what to do when you don't want to be mobbed? Be someone   
else!"   
  
Oohhhh...   
  
"So it's not real?" I felt my face fall, staring at her bare stomach.   
  
*SMACK*.   
  
I SO knew that was coming.   
  
"You idiot! Of course it's not real! Just some hair extensions and fake   
piercing and fake stick on tattoos."   
  
"Ahhh..."   
  
"Do you like it?" her voice subdued, as if serious.   
  
I stared. "Yes." a pause. "You look very sexy."   
  
A giggle resembling one of a hyena was the response I got. "AHH!! So   
kawaii! 'You look very sexy...'" she mimicked me in a deep voice.   
  
"Stop it."   
  
"'You look veerryyy sexy.'"   
  
"Stop it I said."   
  
"'You look very very sexy.'"   
  
If there's one thing I learned of Kurata Sana over the 12 years, it   
would be that fact that she will never ever grow up. I kind of like it   
that way...   
  
"Hey you! Don't zone out on me! Come on! Let's get in line for the new   
roller coaster they got! The really really big one with a big drop from   
really *HIGH* in the air."   
  
"Big *DROP* huh? Let's go then," I clasped my baseball cap on   
backwards.   
  
  
  
The night passed quickly, and the early dusk was quickly succumbed to   
complete darkness. I held her hand as we walked toward the exit, a   
stuffed teddy bear between us. She leaned closer to me, so I clasped my   
hand around her waist; the motion brought her head against my chest. We   
strolled along, looking like any other couple in the mist of people.   
Her disguise had worked out brilliantly, much too brilliantly.   
  
"Thank you for coming, Hayama," she whispered.   
  
"You are welcome, Anas."   
  
She giggled. "I could get use to this you know."   
  
"I know. You are an actress."   
  
"Huh, guess I am."   
  
I opened my door. "You want a ride? Or did you drive?"   
  
"I rode the subway, car's broken again."   
  
"Come on, then," I pulled her inside my car.   
  
I watched her fasten her seat belt then started the car, driving   
through the congested city.   
  
"Where do you live?"   
  
"Huban, #764."   
  
"Really? We live pretty close..."   
  
"Yeah, I realized."   
  
"Sana?"   
  
"Yeah?" her voice sounded much assuaged, I wondered if she was actually   
tired.   
  
"How has everything...been?"   
  
She looked surprised at my question. "Everything? Everything's fine.   
I'm still doing the drama, but I'll be doing some live shows next   
month, which I can't wait to! Rei-kun booked a lot of things for me..."   
  
"He's not giving you too much is he?" Mr. Sunglasses can be such a   
clueless guy.   
  
"No, not at all," Sana smiled, "he's much preoccupied now. He has 2   
kids! They are twins, kawaiiiiiiiii....."   
  
"Kids?" I stifled a laugh, for some reason, I couldn't see him as a   
Dad.   
  
"Yeah. Their names are Miki and Miho. They are three years old now!"   
  
I turned and saw her eyes glowing. Sana always had a thing with kids.   
No, Sana always had a thing with 'people'; she got along with everyone   
and anyone. Sometimes I wonder how she does it. If she really did get   
along with everyone or if she's forcing herself.   
  
"It's here, Hayama," she said.   
  
I stepped on the brake in front of the rather nice house. "You live   
alone?" I asked.   
  
"Yeah, but I go visit mama every weekend, and I'm usually at the   
studio, so I'm never lonely."   
  
Never lonely, I wanted to believe that. Sana is never lonely... Ha, I'd   
be a fool if I did believe it. Everyone may know her the precocious   
child star that triumphed at every situation, but on the occasions when   
I see those alien expressions on a perplexed face, I knew Kurata Sana   
was much more than what meets the eye.   
  
"And besides, I have you now, don't I?"   
  
I turned my head to face her, aside from the unfamiliar black hair and   
fake nose ring, I still saw the innocent Sana in those brown eyes...   
  
"Yes, Anas, you do," I leaned over and pushed my lips onto hers,   
probing her gently as she unfastened her seat belt. It was sensual   
feeling, one I had been missing for four years, four years too long. I   
trailed the kiss down her neck, almost possessively putting my hands on   
her body. Her arms around me, igniting my skin in ways I could have   
never imagined. Sana was amazing, simply and plainly, amazing...   
  
"Hayama..." she whispered, a finger on the door handle. "Good night,"   
she opened the door and I felt my weight falling against thin air.   
"I'll call you," with that, she left into her house, but not before   
giving me one last smile.   
  
I chuckled. She still wasn't ready. "Good night, Sana."   
  
Next time.   
  
  
  
I fumbled with the keys under the dim porch light. It was late, but   
early by the usual standards. I wondered what Ichibin's doing, probably   
on the computer working out his codes...   
  
Ah...here you are. I grabbed the silver key, stabbed it in the keyhole   
then twisted it.   
  
Flashing the door open, I felt two shadows hovering over me while a   
shrilling yell bludgeoned my ears.   
  
"Get away!!! Akito!!!!!!"   
  
To be continued...   
  
Please read and review!! ^__^  
  
  
  
  



	3. Devil in pain

Devil on the Run (part 3)   
A Kodomo No Omocha fanfic   
© By Iris C.   
E-mail : angelscythe02@yahoo.com  
Completed : June 15th, 2001 (edited June 18)   
  
Newsy notes: well, my computer just crashed last week, I had to reboot   
it cuz of the OE exception crap. Thus, I am now picture-less, MP3-less,   
story-less, avi-less, rm-less, software-less and VERY pissed off. Oh   
well, c'est la vie! ^^;;   
  
Story notes: Wow... I never knew how much you guys hated cliffhangers.   
Sorry, I do them often, sometimes inadvertently, but they seem to be   
such great places to end the ficcys no? Tehee. Anyhow, I'm not sure I   
like where this story is going, because it's heading toward a very   
terrible ending. I don't know what to do!   
  
  
Devil on the Run   
  
"Get away!!! Akito!!!!!!"   
  
I gasped, catching a glimpse of Ichibin being held back by Hidaki.   
"Shimatta," I swore, ducked two coming punches, then dropped kicked the   
two idiots who landed with a thud. "Let him go," I stared coldly at   
Hidaki, who in turn shot me an indifferent gaze.   
  
"That, won't be likely," behind me, a voice contended.   
  
I pivoted around and came face to face with a gun, "...Kimura."   
  
"Long time no see, Hayama-san," he smiled, yellow eyes never more   
menacing.   
  
"What do you want?"   
  
"What? Can't I pay an old friend a friendly little visit?"   
  
I stared at his gun. "Apparently not."   
  
He snickered. "You're not worried about this thing are you? Hayama-  
san?"   
  
"Leave us alone, Kimura!" Ichibin shouted, Hidaki punched him in the   
stomach, causing Ichibin to fall.   
  
"Hmph, I would worry about this if I were you, Ichibin," Kimura loaded   
his gun, then narrowed his eyes at me. "Do you know what happens to   
anyone that quits a gang?"   
  
Pretentious and egotistical, Kimura liked to exaggerate and elaborate.   
Frankly, the guy annoyed me, and right now he had never more irritated   
me. "Are you going to kill me?" I asked.   
  
He laughed. "Kill you? Me? Nah..." he cleaned the head of the gun with   
his sleeve then begin rambling. "I'm feeling very very generous today,   
Hayama. I mean, I should really kill you, I should. But I thought since   
you started all this, you should have the privilege to end it. Really   
Hayama, I admire you. You started 'Black Haze' with a snap, and ended   
it with a snap. The world just rotates to your benefit doesn't it? Get   
enough money to last you a lifetime and just abandon the rest of us,   
huh? What a life you must be living."   
  
"Will you get to the point?" I said, retaining the apathetic tone.   
  
"Aw, chill out, got all day and all night. After all, I have nothing to   
do anymore, do I?" Kimura lit a cigarette. "Here's the deal, it's   
comin' from Shizuoka, the port here's been tight lately. Too tight, but   
the money's there..."   
  
"I don't do shit anymore," I muttered.   
  
"Listen, you know the port security like no one else. All you need to   
do is hack the system, clean the ends while we do the physical work..."   
  
"I don't do shit anymore," I repeated.   
  
"I didn't tell you option two yet, it's one more deal, Hayama, or an   
early ride to Hell," he lifted his gun. "Don't think you're getting out   
of it again."   
  
From the corner of my eye, I saw Ichibin held loosely by Hidaki, while   
Chota and Koga (two other members) stood by him.   
  
Sometimes you have to take chances in this life.   
  
"I guess not," I said to Kimura.   
  
He smirked.   
  
Fool.   
  
I flipped to the side, crushed his wrist, and was very satisfied when I   
saw a bewildered face. "Guess so," I murmured, aiming the gun right at   
Kimura's temple. "Let Ichibin go." I called out to Hidaki. "NOW, or he   
dies." I thrust the gun on Kimura. (If you are having trouble imagining   
this gun sequence, think 'Rush Hour' and how they did it. ^-^ ~ iris)   
  
Hidaki's eyes became two thin slits, but he pushed Ichibin away   
nonetheless.   
  
I jabbed Kimura in a pressure point. He winced and fell.   
  
It didn't quite end there.   
  
"Run, Ichibin!" I cried when I saw Hidaki taking something shiny from   
his back pocket. Ichibin and I took off after that, running blindly   
away from the apartment until I felt a kick behind me.   
  
Hidaki.   
  
I lifted the gun.   
  
It happened quickly. He drop kicked. I heard something crack and the   
gun was out of my hands, replaced by Hidaki on top of me.   
  
"Akito!" Ichibin decided to fling himself onto Hidaki, pulling the much   
larger man away from me. "RUN!!!!"   
  
"What are you crazy?!?" I cried. Idiot, Ichibin! Idiot!!!   
  
Ichibin and Hidaki were now rolling on the ground, thrusting blind   
kicks and punches.   
  
"PLEASE!!! GO!!!!" Ichibin implored.   
  
I looked and saw Chota, Koga and a grimacing Kimura hurtling toward me.   
  
"GO!!!!!!!" a shrilling scream from Ichibin made me step away, running   
with a swelling pain down my chest.   
  
"I'm sorry, Ichibin," I whispered. About seven steps away, however, a   
shot sliced through the quiet atmosphere.   
  
And then I felt the ripping pain down on my left leg.   
  
"Son of a..." I bit my lip as the blow intensified, sending pure   
torment to the rest of my body. I fell, but caught myself at the last   
second. Finding some last drips of rationale, I started to limp away.   
My leg was screaming bloody hell while their steps got closer and   
closer. I ducked into a dark corner of the street, hoping the night   
shadows would cloak my squandered body.   
  
"I'll always back you up, Hayama..."   
  
I moaned. "Ichibin..." I can't give up. Not yet. I can't. Ignoring the   
painful stings of the wound, I limped into the darkness until I saw   
something familiar.   
  
#764   
  
I collapsed in front of her door then started pounding frantically.   
'Come on, Sana...'   
  
The door was finally opened when I couldn't handle the pain.   
  
"Hayama! What are you..." she gasped. "Oh my God what happened?!?!" she   
helped me inside. "Hayama??" she cried. "Hayama!!"   
  
"A knife, Sana, I need a knife," I whispered.   
  
"A knife? Why? Why do you...what's wrong with your leg? Hayama what   
happened? I have to call the police, the hospital...!"   
  
"Don't! Don't call the anyone!!!"   
  
"What do you mean don't call anyone? Who did this to you?"   
  
I shook my head furiously, succeeding in making myself more nauseous.   
"NO!! Dammnit! I can't let them know!!" I breathed, not look at Sana.   
"Please, a knife, that's all I need..." I entreated in a calmer voice.   
  
She stared at me but didn't protest this time. I was handed with a   
kitchen knife a second later.   
  
"Thanks," I murmured then brought my eyes to my leg. Swallowing the   
fear down my throat, I watched as the knife made its through the my   
wound. "AHHHH....!!" I shouted, drowning Sana's screaming of my name.   
The bullet fell on the wooden floor. "Oh fuck..." I moaned, disgusted   
and sick, dropping the knife on the ground and let the agony take over   
my body.   
  
"Hayama...Hayama!!" her voice resounded by my ear, fading in its   
volume. I felt her arms embracing me, her tears spattered on my body.   
  
And then everything went black.   
  
(Notes from the author: First of all, kids, don't try this at home   
unless you want your leg amputated. ^-^ Second, I admit it, I'm no   
doctor, and I quiver for whomever I would be operating on if I were a   
doc. I have no idea how Hayama got rid of the bullet without killing   
his leg. What I do know is, this is fiction, and this is MY fiction,   
and I don't get paid for this, therefore you can't do anything!!! ^6^)   
  
  
  
Dizzy. Unfocused. Hazy.   
  
Where am I?   
  
I tried to push myself up. My response was the take off of a throbbing   
pain, from the top of my skull to the tip of my toes. "Oww..." I   
moaned, the pain was appalling, as if my bones were splitting into   
little pieces of glass, pricking me with all their might.   
  
A shadow hovered over me. "Hayama?" Sana's voice.   
  
"Sorry for...making trouble for you..." I managed, ordering my eyes to   
open. It was then I saw her eyes, they were red, puffy, and very   
frightened.   
  
"Are you all right, Hayama?"   
  
She was still wearing her pajamas, and her shoulders sagged a little   
due to fatigue.   
  
"Sana...did you sleep?" I asked quietly.   
  
"Sleep?" Sana stared at me, bewildered. "How could I sleep? You come   
crashing into my house in the middle of the night wounded. You asked   
for a knife and stabbed yourself and I can't even call the ambulance   
because you are keeping a horrible secret from me and I don't know why   
you are but it must be really horrible if I can't call the hospital and   
I was worried to death and thought you would die on me cuz you're mean   
like that and   
I...I..." her face crumbled. "Hayama," she threw her arms around me   
body. "Don't ever do that to me again! Don't ever do that..." she   
sobbed.   
  
I held her closely, fingers digging through tresses of brown hair.   
  
"What happened Hayama? Tell me the truth. I knew something was wrong   
with Ichibin's story. Something's terribly wrong. I can tell. How did   
you get shot?" she insisted, her eyes were faltering. I must have   
really scared her, for I've never seen Sana so petrified.   
  
"I..." I swallowed the lump in my throat, which sent another round of   
pain throughout my body. "Ooohhhh..." I grunted, feeling dizzy again.   
  
She grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. "Hayama...oh Hayama...what   
have you been doing for these four years? What have you been doing...?"   
  
And that would be the last thing I heard before my body betrayed me yet   
again.   
  
  
  
When I woke again, the sun greeted me with just enough warmth grazing   
gently on my skin. I pushed myself up and found me alone in the small   
room. My leg felt like a numb stick. A further look led to the   
discovery of a bandaged leg.   
  
Flashbacks invaded my head like a slow motion filmstrip, coming to an   
abrupt ending.   
  
Ichibin...oh no.   
  
Damn it. What do I do? What do I do? What am I going to do? Why did I   
ever start this? Why did I even allow Ichibin to be dragged into this?   
  
Crash. Bang. Shatter. Smash.   
  
Huh?   
  
I forced myself up and 'dangled' my feet on the ground.   
  
Limp. Wince. Limp. Dies. Gets up. Limp. Looked for a stick. Grabbed the   
plastic baseball bat. Limp. Found out why walking sticks are necessary   
in this life. Carefully made it downstairs.   
  
(No. Once again, I know that biologically, it's impossible for him to   
walk yet, but as I've mentioned, it's fiction! ^^;;)   
  
I knew something was wrong when I saw egg yokes and noodles on the   
ground. I just couldn't imagine how wrong. Her kitchen was a mess. No,   
more like an apocalypse. Sana was in the middle of the scattered flour   
and melted butter, working at the speed of light as she stirred this   
and chopped that and fried this.   
  
"Kurata...what are you doing?"   
  
It was a simple question, really, but what I got was anything but   
simple.   
  
"Ahhh!!! You're awake!" she cried happily, face covered with flour.   
"Yaaahhooo!! My timing's perfect!!!"   
  
"Nani desu..." I muttered. "What did you do?"   
  
"Ohhh...sit down, sit down, the doctor said you shouldn't really use   
that leg unless you have to."   
  
My body went cold. "Doctor?"   
  
"Hayama, you went out on me, and since I can't call the hospital, I got   
some private help. Don't worry, as far as he's concerned, you are my   
faraway cousin from Amish country in USA!!" she chirped.   
  
I sweatdropped.   
  
"Neh, you must be hungry right? Out for two days and all. Let me   
finishing this batch of fish for ya."   
  
"I was out for two days?"   
  
"Hai. He said you got hit in the head somewhere."   
  
"Oh."   
  
"Here ya go," she handed me a bowl of rice.   
  
"Arigatou."   
  
"Don't mention it!" Sana bounced back to the kitchen. "Anyway, I   
decided it's safe for you to stay here until your leg heals. No one   
comes here except for Rei-kun, and I put him on vacation yesterday, so   
make yourself at home."   
  
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. She dropped five dishes in front of me,   
beaming with a gigantic curved smile. "Enjoy!!"   
  
I think I devoured the food in less than a minute, but I could be   
exaggerating.   
  
"Thank you," I mumbled.   
  
"Yaaa...."   
  
"You, don't have to do this."   
  
"Do what?"   
  
"Take care of me."   
  
"I know, but I want to. We're friends right? And friends help each   
other in times when help is needed, and I'm pretty sure having gotten   
shot is a time when help is needed."   
  
"There's no point."   
  
"No point in what?" she asked, her face immediately concerned.   
  
"I must leave. Get Ichibin."   
  
"Where...where is Ichibin-kun?"   
  
I said nothing.   
  
"Who shot you? Hayama?"   
  
"It doesn't matter."   
  
"Doesn't matter! Don't give me that, Hayama! Tell me the truth! Who   
shot you?!? Who's after you? Why are they after you? Why can't you call   
the police? Did you join a secret death society or something???"   
  
Secret death society. That wasn't too far off.   
  
"Iie. It's complicated."   
  
She didn't say anything. I felt her eyes boring into my skin.   
  
"I know a lot has changed in the four years. I know we'll never be the   
way we use to be. But I want you to know that you can always trust me,"   
she softened her expression. "Ne, do you remember in Sixth grade? When   
we had that field trip and we were stuck down below that big cliff that   
came out of nowhere?!?!"   
  
How could I forget that day? How could I forget how worried I was about   
Kurata, thinking she was an alien? How could I forget how she cried and   
laughed within the length of a minute?   
  
"It was the first time you smiled! O HO HO! Kawaii Hayama!!! You   
laughed too! And got embarrassed! All in the same day! You broke all   
your Hayama personality guidelines that day!"   
  
Hoi...   
  
"But what you said that day...do you remember Hayama?" she tilted her   
head. "You said, if I ever feel like crying, I could come to you, and I   
did Hayama, you were there for my problems every time. No matter what   
you were feeling. You're always there for me."   
  
"I want to be there for you too, Hayama," she finished.   
  
I looked up, and saw myself weaken against her persistence.   
  
I almost moaned. What is she doing to me?   
  
"Sana, I..." I stopped myself, for about four years in high school. I   
had managed to call her by Sana. At first it was because of Fuka, but   
in time I was able to call her Sana without getting all crazy. Now,   
however, every time I say her first name my body goes through this   
weird floaty feeling. "Ano..." You're such an idiot! I wanted to smack   
myself.   
When did I adapt stuttering?   
  
"Is it that terrible?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"Whatever you have been doing?"   
  
I nodded. "Hai."   
  
"Do you regret it?"   
  
I nodded again.   
  
"Did you kill anyone."   
  
I froze, and then nodded. I would call selling addictive pernicious   
drugs killing people, I would.   
  
Sana gasped. "Hayama, are you still doing this?"   
  
I shook my head.   
  
She brought a head to the side of her head. Then she shook her head.   
"Iie!!!! You wouldn't kill anyone!! YOU WOULDN'T! I know you Hayama!   
You may look all tough on the outside, but you know what your doing!   
You know right from wrong! Ne? Hayama!! ANSWER ME!!! You didn't kill   
anyone..."   
  
Actually...I don't know right from wrong. If I did, I wouldn't be in   
the situation I'm in, and Ichibin would be okay, and I wouldn't be   
wallowing in guilt every single day. I looked up. "I sell drugs,   
Kurata," there, I finally said it.   
  
For a while Sana stood there, resembling a perfect statue, not a cinch   
of movement.   
  
But then she fell back onto the couch, her eyes bewildered.   
"Dru...drugs? You mean, oh you mean you work at the hospital and   
prescribed the wrong drug to a patient and they died right? But it was   
a mistake, and...and you just made a mistake, right? ...A mistake."   
  
I squeezed my eyes shut, if it were that simple. "No. I'm a drug   
dealer. I sell everything from cokes to speed, I've murdered more   
people than you can imagine. The cops would gladly have my head, and so   
would every other gang."   
  
Sana blinked, I couldn't tell if she was taking all this in or blocking   
it all out. Finally, she said. "Anata wa...saite desu. Anata wa saite   
desu!!!" she screamed, her eyes blazing.   
  
(Note: I HAD to use that phrase, cuz it just sound so much cooler than   
English. It means... Anata wa- you are, saite- lowest of the low. You   
are the lowest of the low? Lol. It's a bad translation. It's a really   
good bad insult in Japanese though. ^^x ~Iris)   
  
"You're right," I whispered, letting her anger consume my pride. "You   
are right."   
  
"Why?!?? Why would you do something like that?? Why??" she lashed, it   
was pretty clear no matter what the reason, she won't accept it. I   
don't blame her.   
  
"Gr...greed," I managed.   
  
Sana stared, there was so much disappoint in her eyes I almost wished   
that bullet had pierced my heart. I usually don't care what people   
think of me, but Sana...her eyes twisted between pain and dismay, all   
because of me. I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand it at all, because   
I cared. I cared what Kurata Sana thought of me...  
  
  
  
www.geocities.com/knosite  
  



	4. Devil's advocate

Devil on the Run (part 4)   
A Kodomo No Omocha (on crack ^_~) fanfic   
By Iris C - angelscythe02@yahoo.com   
Completed: July 14th, 2001   
  
DISCLAIMER: Veeerrryyy angsty. Veeerrryyy Sappy. Sexual innuendos.   
Violence. Adult themes. Bleak end. Sad end. Bad end. Complicated end.   
Please look out for yourself. ^^;;   
  
Author's insane notes: Hi guys! *waves* How have you been?!?! Hope it   
wasn't too long of a wait for you! *angry mob chokes iris* Oh you love   
me!! *cough* You really... *chokes* love *chokes* me!!! *falls*   
Mawahahahaha...lol. Sorry, erratic today. Guess what??! I just got five   
volumes of subbed Kodocha and am now on a mission to brainwash everyone   
with KNO nonsense! *Winks at Jess, points at Akuma with a WICKED grin*   
You fell for it Weif!! Hahahahahaha!! I brainwashed you!!   
Hahahahaha!!! Without any help from any long haired girly looking   
Marron/Tai/Raiha/Aya 'bishounen'. O.o   
  
Author's somewhat rational notes: Sorry it took forever to get this   
chapter out. Gomen, gomen, gomen nasai minna. The plotting kind of went   
down hill and I just ignored it for a month. The fact that my computer   
crashed for while didn't help either. But everyone! Meet my new   
computer, Sony Vaio…ooohhhh…*hugs* her PC. I love this thing!! …(Till   
if crashes ^.~) Upon the contents of this chapter, all the   
justification I can give as of now is - they are 22. ;o) Also, Sana may   
seem a bit OOC in this, but then I think the situation is severe enough   
for her to not break into one of her 'comedy attacks', but then I could   
very well see Sana doing a rap on her death bed. Lol. Okay, OOC.   
  
  
  
  
Life sucks. That's all I can say right now with my limited ability to   
think. It's not that I can't think, it's just that every time I think I   
see Sana's face yesterday: surprised, pensive, enraged, disgusted,   
disappointed, then completely silent as she ran upstairs away from me.   
So here I am again, blinking amidst the fever inducing sunlight, never   
able to awoken from my incessant nightmare. Trailing down stairs, I   
cringed as my leg felt like a big stick. On the table sat a huge sign   
that said, 'READ'. I hopped toward it and found a note, written in   
messy kanji.   
  
'Hayama, I'm off to get you some clothes, and food. Be back by noon.   
~Sana'   
  
Impassive, an apathetic Sana is worse than an angry Sana. I sighed then   
slid on to the coach. For a while, I just stared into spacing,   
inquiring on the how's and why's.   
  
'DING DONG-'   
  
Huh?   
  
'DING DONG'   
  
Could it be Sana already? I looked at the clock, it was only 10 a.m.   
and didn't Sana have a key?   
  
'DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG-'   
  
Whether out of annoyance or not, I grabbed the plastic baseball bat and   
made my way toward the wooden door, cursing as stings from my wound   
traveled all through my body. I could have tried to figure out Sana's   
security system and have whoever's face displayed in front of me, but I   
didn't. I just swung the door open.   
  
It was him, cradling a dozen roses.   
  
"You," I said in a dry voice, not trying to suppress any hint of   
annoyance.   
  
He stepped back and let his banquet of roses fall, apparently in shock.   
"What...what are you doing here? Where's Sana?"   
  
"Out shopping," I said frankly.   
  
"But- how could-, how could that be? She said she was sick with a fever   
over 100C, and she was losing her vision and coughing out chickens and   
growing warts and..."   
  
?   
  
"And you believed her?"   
  
?   
  
"Where is she?"   
  
"Out shopping."   
  
"Why are you here?"   
  
I shrugged. "Found my way."   
  
He furrowed his eyebrows. "She has an important interview today, did   
you influence her and tricked her to not come? Sana has a very   
successful career right now, Hayama Akito, and she's worked hard for   
it. Don't you dare try to-"   
  
"Kamura," I cut in then grabbed his fallen roses. "I'll tell her you   
came, ja," I slammed the door shut.   
  
  
  
Kamura and I never got along, I know that much. An unobservant eye   
would say it is caused by our perpetual competition with Kurata.   
Sometimes I do think that's true, but other times, like now, I know   
Kamura and I are unable to get along because we are just too different.   
Either way, I don't think it's my loss; he'll always be the purple   
haired freak in my book. I frowned. Why am I like this? Why do I always   
cast people out, or ignore them altogether? At least Kamura had the   
guts to cling on to Kurata all these years. At least Kamura isn't timid   
to call her Sana. At least he's not a killer like you...   
  
I took the note out of the bundle of roses. 'Sana, hope you'll feel   
better. The crew misses you, but I miss you the most. ~love, Naozumi.'   
  
I stuck the note back; a sick feeling crawled up from my stomach. "It   
doesn't matter," I told myself sternly. "It doesn't matter anymore."   
Nothing mattered anymore, nothing except Ichibin. I let the roses fall   
on Sana's table. This is all distraction. I don't need this. I don't   
care. I have to get out of here. I have to save Ichibin and that's it.   
  
  
  
I wasn't surprised to find my apartment trashed tactlessly. Everything   
seemed to have either been smashed or flung. My eyes eventually trailed   
up upon the back of the door, where a knife held a piece of paper,   
Kimura and his histrionic ways.   
  
'Itoki Harbor. Friday. 9:00 p.m. Be there if you want to see Ichibin.   
Be on time if you to see him in one piece.'   
  
I narrowed my eyes, crumbling the paper until it was soft. The   
precarious piece of scrap ended up against the wall while I crouched   
down, thoughts teeming through my head. 'I'm sorry, Ichibin. Why did I   
do the things I did? What am I going to do?'   
  
"Hayama."   
  
I nearly jumped at the soft voice. "Sa...Sana," my heart was pounding   
louder than my thoughts.   
  
"I knew...I knew you would be here," she wore a sad smile. "I knew you   
would leave without saying goodbye."   
  
"..."   
  
"Hayama ...Why?"   
  
"I...I don't deserve you."   
  
Sana laughed, a mirthless laugh. "It's funny, part of me...part of me   
would like to, hurt you really really bad for all the things you did,   
really really bad," she dropped her head, her voice fluctuating to an   
unusual vulnerable tone. "And then...another part of me, Hayama,   
another part of don't want to care. Another part of me just want you to   
stay with me. I just want you to stay with me. Hayama... Don't leave,   
not just like this, please don't leave me...I'm so afraid," she was   
crying now, guileless and shaking, diving into me. "Onegai...don't   
leave..."   
  
I swung an arm around her as she searched for any hints of assurance.   
In a small voice, she continued. "Ichibin-kun will be okay, he will be   
okay. We could-"   
  
Ichibin. The name froze in my mind. Ichibin is with them...   
  
I pushed Sana away abruptly, shaking my head. "I can't do this, I can't   
do this!" I nearly yelled, and nearly crumbled when I saw Sana's broken   
face. "You..." gomen, Sana. "You don't need me. Kamura can take care of   
you. You don't need me. Kamura loves you. I'm nothing but-"   
  
As if I had tapped on her ire, she exploded. "Iie! Hayama! Why are we   
here again? Naozumi-kun are just friends. I don't care if he loves me!   
I don't care. I love you Hayama! I loved you four years ago and love   
you now. I'm not going to pretend anymore! I'm not going to put on a   
smiling mask and let you slip away again! Do you know how many night   
I've cried myself to sleep because of you, and then waking up in the   
morning smiling for the slight hope that you will be back again, and   
that you would love me again...love me like I love you."   
  
Love me like... I love you.   
  
I closed my eyes and ruminated, so confused, I was so confused. Every   
nerve in my body pulsated and shook until my brain was in frenzy.   
Moaning, I pressed my hands hard against my face, against my cheekbones   
in search of control. I didn't know what to do anymore; everything was   
crashing down and burning right in front of me. No matter what I do, no   
matter how I react, it always ends up with hallow feeling.   
  
And then I felt her hand, reaching up to my cheek, so gentle and   
placating.   
  
'I want to be there for you too...' her voiced echoed in my mind.   
  
And this time it was I that dove against her, like a child that has   
lost his soul. She cradled me nonetheless, allowing my throbbing   
thoughts to sort out against her munificence. I suppose we had made an   
odd image, a man like a child enclosed in a woman's arms, but I didn't   
care. All I knew was that it felt right. Sana didn't have to say a word   
but she healed me. Every time I'm with her, she heals me. I brought my   
hand to her hair, trailing it to the tip of her lips, then brought my   
own lips against them. I love you, Sana. I wanted to say, but I didn't,   
I couldn't, but I can show her. Cautiously, I lowered her to the   
ground, working my lips down her neck then toward the crevasse of her   
breasts. Sana moaned softly, but didn't protest as I unbuttoned her   
shirt, and then the rest. With her eyes closed, she pulled me closer   
and started to undress me. Motions turned to desire, pain vanished to   
illusion; caressing, brushing, moaning, kissing. Love you, love you, I   
told her silently, drawing myself into her.   
  
Love you, love you.   
  
  
  
I stared as she slept. A half curved smile. At peace. An angel. For a   
second I wondered what it would like to be Sana, to be so carefree, so   
pure, and yet so giving. I would love to be her, she can always find a   
way to make people smile, shed their grief, but sometimes I wonder how   
much of her has been robbed by simply giving so much.   
  
I grabbed my jacket. And sometimes I wonder where reality really lied.   
  
"Ai shiteru," I whispered. "Ai shiteru, Sana."   
  
Then left.   
  
  
  
After a day of aimless wandering (and getting some necessary arsenal),   
I arrived at the Itoki Harbor. My face was solemn and apathetic,   
otherwise known as a miserable attempt to block out reality and what I   
was going to do.   
  
"Hayama-san," the satirizing voice made me want to punch something,   
precisely, him. "My, you are fifteen minutes early. Are we eager or   
what?"   
  
I turned to face Kimura. "Where is Ichibin?"   
  
A chortle. "Oh, don't worry. The kid's doing fine. You'll see him when   
the mission's complete. You'll see him if you do your part right."   
  
"Heh. What's coming in?" I asked.   
  
"Mostly amphetamine, some heroin, and some cocaine."   
  
"That's one hell of a dangerous ship, couldn't you at least tried to   
disguise it?"   
  
"You're not the boss anymore, Hayama-san, and it'll cost me a lot of   
money disguising it."   
  
Greedy bastard.   
  
"Fine," I peered over at where the other guys were. "I need someone to   
look out security for me."   
  
"Hidaki'll do it, as usual," a grin.   
  
"All right," I rooted out my cigarette. "I'm on it. Tell him to be at   
the control room at nine something."   
  
In order to succeed at anything in this life, you need wits. While I   
had intelligence and brawn, I was definitely short on the wits   
department. Ichibin would have solved this dilemma in a matter of   
minutes; performing something like using his expressional face to   
distract the security. Something I can never succeed in doing. So I   
took the easy way out and busted my way into the control room, hacking   
into the system so the security couldn't tell the difference between a   
baseball cap and a kilo of crack.   
  
Hidaki soon arrived with his usual noncommittal face.   
  
"Is it here yet?" I asked.   
  
"Hai."   
  
I sighed in relief. Maybe this won't be so bad, maybe I can get out of   
here with Ichibin unscathed, aside from a forever marred soul that is.   
But then, I've long sold my soul to the devil, so what the hell is the   
difference if I commit another sin?   
  
The ship moved in slow, blinking with dim lights, seconds soon turned   
into minutes, and minutes soon turned into hour as it finally hit the   
harbor.   
  
"Where's Ichibin?" I demanded, grabbing Kimura by the shoulder.   
  
"Chill out, Hayama, he's just fine, and you'll see him soon enough.   
Right after I receive my paycheck."   
  
I scowled but didn't argue. We watched as the ship touching the harbor   
and the familiar loading scenes between the workers. The interactions   
were mundane as I waited impatiently. The following scenes however,   
turned out to be anything but mundane.   
  
"This is the Police," a loud speaker sparked to life. "You are   
surrounded, I repeat, you are surrounded. This attempt smuggle of   
illegal drugs has been seized by the Police. You have a choice to   
raise both hands up and come to an open area of the harbor for..."   
  
Kimura darted his eyes right at my, clutching his fists. "YOU!!! You   
told didn't you?!!?"   
  
I was too dumbfounded to reply, how did they know? How did…they… before   
I could sort out anything, a punch was connected.   
  
"You bastard!! You told them!"   
  
I clenched my teeth. I was losing it fast. "Fuck it, Kimura! It was   
your stunt! You're the one that planned it and I'd be damned if I lie   
and say I did, although I just might take the credit!!"   
  
"It was you wasn't it?!?"   
  
"Fuck no!" I yelled while the speakers blasted, the other members of   
the gang were all flustered, in ambivalence of what to do. "I don't   
give a damn! Where's Ichibin!?!?"   
  
Kimura got up.   
  
"WHERE'S ICHIBIN!?" I cocked my gun at his back. He froze. "WHERE??   
Show me!"   
  
He peered back at me, a look of rancor.   
  
"SHOW ME!!" I screamed.   
  
Kimura showed me, Ichibin was beat up and left at the basement of the   
harbor.   
  
"Ichibin..." I murmured, fumbling toward him. "Ichi-" I felt a sting in   
my leg.   
  
"You ruined it for me, Hayama! Ruined it!" Kimura held a gun in his   
hand, looking slightly psychotic. "You have everything in the world   
already! Everything! But you are too selfish to let me any of it huh?   
Well, I'm going to make you pay for it now…I'm going to make you pay   
for it!!!!!"   
  
"Akito..." I heard Ichibin whisper weakly.   
  
I held my head; shots and sirens rang just above us. "It's over Kimura,   
they are going to get us, both of us."   
  
Kimura laughed. "Sure they will, but they'll love me if I kill you,   
don't you think?"   
  
I crawled to Ichibin.   
  
"YOU DON'T THINK I WOULD SHOOT DO YOU!?!? YOU THINK I'M TOO   
SCARED TO SHOOT YOU DON'T YOU?" Kimura screamed, aiming his gun at me.   
  
"AKITO!!!" Ichibin dove in front of me as a bullet slashed the   
atmosphere in half, resting somewhere in Ichibin.   
  
"ICHIBIN!" I screamed. "ICHIBIN!"   
  
Blood…everywhere…Ichibin…I hate you Ichibin, why...   
  
Kimura laughed. "Well, so the weasel protected you again huh?!? Fine   
then, if that's-"   
  
Another shot was made.   
  
Kimura fell, with blood exuding out his mouth. "You..."   
  
I dropped the gun on the ground.   
  
To be continued… (told ya it was bleak)   
  
After notes: once again, I apologize for the long delay. Also, this is   
probably unrealistic, but I've decided against going undercover in a   
gang and found it how it really works.   
  
^_~ Ja na, minna!   
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Devil runs away...

Devil on the Run (Part 5/Epilogue)   
A Kodomo No Omocha fanfic   
By Iris C - angelscythe02@yahoo.com   
Completed: July 25th, 2001   
  
Legal Disclaimer: Kodomo no Omocha (Child's Toy), Kurata Sana and   
Hayama Akito, belong to Obana Miho (yea! Obana-san!) Ichibin, Kimura   
and Hidaki belong to me…   
  
DISCLAIMER: Sappy. Weird. Confusingly fragmented. BLEAK end. Sad end.   
Bad end. No sympathy end. ^^;;   
  
Notes: Comments implored! ^o^ If you don't like how this is turned out,   
please blame my muse. We were listening to one minute really really sad   
music and then one minute really really perky music, and then one   
minute really angry music. ^^;; Caused an unbalance flow of neurons or   
something.   
  
... Flashback   
'...' Thoughts  
  
Visit my Kodocha SITE at: www.geocities.com/knosite   
  
  
  
It was raining; sheets of water fell mercilessly albeit my constant   
blinking. Blind to the world, I watched as molds of objects drew hazes   
around me: the streetcars, the lights from bars, and the curious   
stares. Nothing was in focus. Nothing…   
  
Then I realized it wasn't just the rain, or the cars, or the lights, or   
the stares.   
  
I was crying.   
  
And I wonder if the world was crying with me, or if I was crying with   
the world...   
  
"YOU DON'T THINK I WOULD SHOOT DO YOU!?!? YOU THINK I'M TOO SCARED TO   
SHOOT   
YOU DON'T YOU?"   
  
"AKITO!!!"   
  
"ICHIBIN! ICHIBIN!"   
  
I squeezed my eyes shut. 'Ichibin… Ichibin…Why? Why me?'   
  
I'll always back you up.   
  
'No! You don't live like that! I'm useless to this world. I'm nothing!   
You have so much...so much.'   
  
I don't know exactly how far I ran with Ichibin on my back, with his   
blood frolicking beside my body. I don't know how I even escaped from   
the harbor and the police, but I did.   
  
Knock knock knock.   
  
Her door swung open immediately, as if she had sat there and waited for   
this her whole life.   
  
"Hayama..." her eyes tainted by fear. "ICHIBIN..."   
  
"Sana, please, take care of him, please…don't let him die, please," I   
begged while lying an unconscious Ichibin on the carpet.   
  
"Hayama..."   
  
"I have to go. They are after me. I know they are. I can't let them   
see… Ichibin… Ichibin has nothing to do with what I have done," I   
pleaded desperately, naming my last wish. "Onegai."   
  
She was crying, sobbing, shaking.   
  
I grabbed her hand, amidst the rain. "Thank you, Sana. Thank you for   
everything."   
  
Everything.   
  
  
  
They say life is precious. I was given a life. How I treated the life   
can be summed up in one sentence, 'screwed up royally.' So many things   
I would like to change, so many things I can't change. They say you   
should always learn from your mistakes. I made mistakes and never   
learned from them. Does that explain why I turned myself in and now I   
have all the time in the world to dwell on how I wasted a life?   
  
In control, calm, unbreakable, I was all of that times three. Hayama   
Akito always knows what to do, Hayama Akito always knows…   
  
Hayama Akito doesn't know anything at all. Hayama Akito wants to cry   
very badly. But Hayama Akito could only stare at the ceiling of the   
cell, letting it devour the front he had built for himself.   
  
"You have a visitor."   
  
A visitor.   
  
They let me out without words as my heart pounded. A visitor? Who?   
  
Oh…her…no…no…I can't face her…   
  
"Hayama," she was smiling, smiling so bravely through porcelain tears.   
"How…how have you been?"   
  
I watched her face through the transparent glass, could almost touch   
her, ...almost...touch her...   
  
"All right," I whispered.   
  
She nodded. "Ichibin would be here, but he's still in treatment."   
  
I felt the nerves of my body perk. "How is he?"   
  
"He's all right. They bullet went through his spine, but he survived,   
and, his condition is stable."   
  
Ichibin was all right. He was all right.   
  
"I see, that's great. Thank you."   
  
"No need."   
  
Silence.   
  
A hand went into her long tresses of brown hair, combing it in   
frustration. Sana's eyes dimmed, as if she was fighting an inner devil.   
"Hayama…" she looked up finally, face tore in ambivalence. "I have to   
tell you something."   
  
She looked broken, shutting her eyes, hands against her head, for the   
first time in my life, Kurata Sana looked older than she actually was.   
  
"I told them, Hayama. It was me."   
  
"Huh?"   
  
"I found the crumbled paper and called the police, and that's why you   
are in jail and that's why Ichibin will probably be a cripple for   
life," she rushed, sounding desperate.   
  
I felt my mouth open slightly.   
  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry Haya…I…I'm sorry. I had to, I…"   
  
I brought my hand to the glass, against her cheek, trailing the single   
tear falling from her brown eye. .   
  
She watched my finger as it hit the surface of the desk.   
  
"I miss you," I whispered. "I miss you."   
  
Sana pressed a hand against the glass. "I…I love you, Akito. Please,   
please don't hate me…I had to. I don't want you doing this anymore. You   
are ruining your life this way and, and I'm sure you will be okay after   
the trial-"   
  
I pushed my hand against hers, an invisible layer of pristine glass   
between us. "I can never hate you, Sana."   
  
  
  
It wasn't her fault. I deserve where I am now. I deserve it all and so   
much more. But still, vaguely, barely, I wonder if she was proud of me   
for finally submitting.   
  
Would it be an obvious lie if I said I was happy? It would sound like   
it wouldn't it? Especially when I have a death sentence on my head. The   
courtroom scene was grim. Every charge was against me until I got hit   
with the murder of Kimura. I almost laughed, watching as each of them   
testified against me. All of them wore the same angry eyes, as if it   
was all my fault.   
  
It was all my fault.   
  
I think justice does exist in this world after all. She veils herself   
quite cleverly, deceiving sinners, let them crawl and bleed before the   
final blow. I think I like her. She does her job well. She does her job   
very well.   
  
Screaming, outside, ranting, crying…   
  
"Oi! You have visitors!" a guard let me out into a larger visiting area   
this time, where bars separated us instead of glass. That's when I felt   
my heart drop.   
  
"Akito!" he slammed his fists against the metal bars while she stood,   
silently watching.   
  
"Ichibin! Ya matte!! (stop it)" I rushed toward them. "Ichibin."   
  
Ichibin was in a wheel chair, shaking, crying, insane like.   
  
"Akito, it's all my fault. You can't die! You can't! I'll kill those   
guys! All of them are liars! Liars! LIARS!! I'll kill them!"   
  
All right, okay, I'm angry now. "Shut up!" I yelled. How dare he say   
that? "Don't you be talking like that? I don't need you to be killing   
anyone! Fuck-" I rubbed my temples. "How can you say that after all   
these years? Have I been that bad of an influence? You are going to   
live and grow up and-"   
  
"If you die, I die."   
  
Sana gasped, her eyes wide and fearful staring at Ichibin, whose eyes   
carried such determination.   
  
"You..." I whispered, then looked down, then started kicking the metal   
bars.   
  
Kick kick kick kick kick kick kick kick kick kick kick   
  
"Hayama," Sana whispered.   
  
I looked up and saw Ichibin sobbing.   
  
"Ichibin...quit it, Ichibin."   
  
"Gomen ne, Akito. If…if it weren't for me, I…burden, you wouldn't have   
taken drugs and if I knew how to fight then Kimura wouldn't have gotten   
me. If it weren't for-"   
  
"Shut up!! SHUT UP! I don't want to hear it! Shut up! I don't know you!   
Get the hell away from my sight! Go Ichibin! Go blame everything on   
yourself! Go ahead! See if I give a damn," I struck against the bars.   
  
"Ichibin, give us a moment," Sana said, pushing Ichibin out into the   
corridor, ushering assuaging words then came back in, face drowned in   
anxiety   
  
"He loves you very much."   
  
"He's a fool."   
  
"Then I must be a fool also."   
  
"Sana, please, don't."   
  
"I can't help it, Hayama. I can't help it. You don't deserve this, and   
I shouldn't have turned you in... Ichibin…Ichibin told me everything.   
Kami-sama, how you survived all these years. I can't imagine Hayama…"   
  
"Stop, it's no excuse," I said. "and you didn't turn me in, I turned   
myself in."   
  
"You can't give up. I'll get a better lawyer for you. We can get you   
out. I swear it. You killed Kimura out of self-protection. He forced   
you into this by kidnapping Ichibin! Oh why did they lie? Why did they   
lie?"   
  
"It doesn't matter," I said simply.   
  
"It does matter! I love you, Hayama! You are the only one I've ever   
loved! Don't say it doesn't matter, please…it does matter," she sobbed.   
  
"Sana, I'm sorry, for leaving you all these years. I...I didn't mean   
to."   
  
She was still crying.   
  
"Take care of Ichibin for me, don't let him do anything stupid, please   
don't let him do anything stupid or I'll never forgive myself."   
  
"No, you're going to take care of Ichibin yourself."   
  
I smiled. "You always go spastic whenever I smile, will you now?"   
  
"Hayama..."   
  
"All right, time's up," the officer intruded in.   
  
"No! Please, can we have a few more minutes?" Sana begged.   
  
"Sorry, please, Miss, it's time."   
  
"No, please-"   
  
"I'm sorry," the officer grabbed her by the arm.   
  
"Sana…" I whispered.   
  
"Nani?" she spun around.   
  
"Ai shiteru," I smiled.   
  
  
Devil on the Run   
  
End notes: Hoi...was that bleak or what? Bye Hayama. *x* I don't know,   
uncertain of whether I like it or not. I do love the ending though,   
even if it is dind of abrupt and… but alas, it's over. Sorta. Epilogue   
still if you want to read it.   
  
Devil on the Run   
  
  
//Epilogue\\ --- 4 years later   
  
"I'm so proud of you!"   
  
"Hehe…I guess I did okay with all the jail time and probation huh?"   
  
"You're just a big genius, valedictorian," Sana patted Ichibin on the   
head. "Lucky, you know, I've never had one of those graduation hat   
thingys."   
  
"No? Well, that's absurd. Even a street rat like me did. Here," Ichibin   
toppled his hat on Sana.   
  
"Ahh ahh! Wait! No! I don't want it!"   
  
"Nani? Why?"   
  
"Well, because, I want to earn it."   
  
"Really? Are you thinking about going to college?"   
  
"Who knows? If acting ever start getting on my nerves. Maybe. It's   
never too late, you know."   
  
"Never," Ichibin stopped his car in front of Sana's house. "Well, here   
you are."   
  
"Heehee, thanks, for avoiding the publicity too."   
  
"Anything to get my face in the paper instead of yours."   
  
"Oh you'll never change."   
  
"He wouldn't want me to."   
  
He?   
  
"Ichibin…"   
  
"Maa...daijoubu, I just...I guess...I wish..."   
  
"He's proud of you, Ichibin, very proud," I said then turned. "Ja ne!   
Don't forget to visit, even if you end up getting a Nobel Prize for   
building a time machine, you're still coming over to visit me!!"   
  
A laugh. "Right."   
  
Sana laughed in reply. "Bye!"   
  
"Bye!"   
  
The sun was shining, striking its rays through murky clouds. Sana   
smiled.   
  
I wonder if the world was smiling with me, or if I was smiling with the   
world...   
  
  
  
End Notes: This was quite a spontaneous ending. Very different from the   
original one I had in mind. Would you like to hear the other endings?   
No? Well, here you go anyway. ^^;; The first ending I thought of before   
I even started writing, Ichibin was going to die, flat out, positively.   
I have a thing for 'best friends' stories. Then I changed my mind, and   
decided Hayama was going to die, only out of suicide. That was much too   
depressing, so I thought Hidaki (the stoic, unreadable one) was going   
to step up and tell the truth, so Hayama wouldn't get a death sentence,   
but a life sentence. But that would be just pointless. So this was the   
ending I came up with, Hayama's dead, Ichibin's living. ^-^ Hey,   
somebody has to die, or it defeats the moral of the story, which   
is…don't do drugs unless you want to wallow in your self-hatred, I   
guess. *-* Anyway, it's OVER! It was a fun ficcy, thanks to those that   
read and reviewed. Oh, I realized that I didn't quite keep the Kodocha   
essence alive in this, maybe I'll write a very KnO fic sometime, but   
for now, KEEP the KODOCHA insanity alive!! ^_____^   
  
  
  
  



End file.
